School desk



(No Model.)

` W.H. DODGE.

SCHOOL DESK.

1801288894. Y E "Patented 008, 18,v 1888.

pu tn/63595:

N, Putas mio-Lumlnber. wuhmgwn. n4 C `Nrrnn STATES j PATENT OFFICE. i

war-Laon n. DODGE, or Misnawnka, INDIANA.

SCHOOL-DESK.

`SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,594, dated October 16, 1883.

Application filed February 2, 1883. (No model.) i* JN 'of Mishawaka, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Desks for use in School-Rooms, Src.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and accurate description of the same. Y

It is now very generally desired that schooldesks shall be provided 'with a receptacle for the students7 books, and that they may be secured therein by a lock.

l It is also desired that both seat and desk shall fold7 orbe capable of assuming a vertical position, so as to iacilitate cleansing the floor, 85o.; and it is now common to construct the desk in such a' way that when it folds it may close downward in front of the book-rack, so that when locked in that position said desk may serve as the door or shutter for said book-rack.

My improvement relates to that class of ydesks which are provided with a book rack or receptacle and a hinged folding desk or leaf which, when folded, will cover and close said book-rack; and it consists inthe manner, hereinafter described, of constructing the hinge or joint for the support and attachment of said desk to the frame, so that'when the desk is raised it will be locked'againstv accidental displacement. Simplicity and durability are prime requisites for this joint, because they are seldom under care of skilled mechanics, and are frequently, when in use, entirelyout of reach of skilled labor.

The frames ofschool-furniture are now usually madev of iron, and the arms which support the desk are also of iron. The joint is constructed with a lock of some sort, whereby the desk may be held in position for service without the employment of removable braces or brackets.

`Having now set forth the general lnature of my improvement, Iwillmore particularly describe it, having reference to the accompanying drawings, whereinf Figure lis a perspective view, showing my desk in usable condition. Fig. 2 shows the same folded. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the locking-joint in and out of action. Figs. 5

and 6 show a modification wherein there are two locking lugs and notches instead of one.

A is one of the end frames of the desk, and B is the wooden back board for the same.

b is the wooden joint-roll, secured at its ends tothe frame A and along its back edge to the back board, B. The metallic arms C, pivoted at each end frame, are attached to and support the ends of the desk D. Pivot-bolts E unite the arms C to the frame, so that the desk D may be raised or lowered upon said bolts as an axis. Vhen the desk is raised up into position, it is to be retained and kheld there by being locked, and this is accomplished in my improvement by rendering the arms C 'capable of an endwise movement transverse to its axis E, so that it may engage with a locking-lug, G, cast or otherwise rigidly se-v cured to the frame A. To render this movement and engagement easy, I make a slot, d, in one of the parts, preferably in the arm C, through which the bolt E is inserted, and I also make a hooking-notch, e, in the edge of said arm, to receive and engage with the lug G. To operate the desk, its forward or free edge is raised a little higher than its proper position, so as to permit the lug G to enter the notch e, and it is then pushed backward, sliding on the bolt E by means of slot d, until said Inghas entered said notch7 and then said desk ispermitted to descend to its operative position, from which it cannot be removed without reversing the above movement. While the lug G is in the hooking-notch c, the desk cannot'move either forward or back in a direction longitudinal to itself, and the bolt E and lug G constitute two points of support to retain it in an extended or operative position.

It will be apparent, therefore, that threel caution or strength is desirable, I may con- IOO struct my locking device double, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6'; but this is merely @modification of that Whieh is described above, and involves the same movements. The upper edge of the 5 desk D is itted to slide over the roll b, in the manner Well understood, whereby u close joint is preserved, Whether said desk be extended or f folded.

Having described my improvement, what I Io claim as new, is-

` R. D. O. SMITH, I. C. TURNER. 

